


Delicate

by Scribbles97



Series: Post Episode Ficlets [17]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Path Of Destruction, Post Episode Fic, Thunderbirds season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 17:19:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14313492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribbles97/pseuds/Scribbles97
Summary: Scott and John corner a delicate feeling Virgil after the mountain rescue.   WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR PATH OF DESTRUCTION!





	Delicate

Virgil knew he was in for it the moment he stepped in to the lounge. He didn’t need John’s hologram to turn to look at him, or Scott’s frown to know. The fact that he’d gone straight to bed after the rescue and not waited for Scott or Alan to get home was telling enough. 

 

Still, he could try to feign innocence. 

 

“What?”

 

Scott shrugged, playing Virgil at his own game, 

 

“John was just filling me in, mentioned you got caught in a rock slide…”

 

Virgil held out his arms, ignoring the tight pull that ran along the back of his shoulders -- that had more to do with the exercises he had been doing with Gordon before the mission had even been called in. 

His bath had eased off most of the aches from being thrown around in the pod, including the starts of a headache. It was a small mercy that John and Scott couldn’t see the bruises where the seat restraints had dug in.

 

“I’m  _ fine _ .”

 

“Fine or not protoco--”

 

“I was in the mountain pod,” Virgil argued, cutting John off, “Y’know, the one that’s got extra padding inside because on mountains you  _ might _ experience rock slides?”

 

Scott and John shared a look. It was a look that screamed they didn’t believe him, and one was waiting for the other to argue their point. 

Gordon saved them both the trouble,

 

“Hey Virg,” He greeted, “Feeling  _ delicate _ this morning?”

 

Any other day, it could have passed for a perfectly normal greeting. The way their younger brother smiled, too sweet and sickly, as he asked the question gave everything away. Gordon had had it in for him from the moment he had pretended to think about letting him fly home. 

 

“I’m perfectly fine, thanks Gordon.”

 

Gordon glared but it was John that spoke,

 

“Really? You were quiet for a good few minutes after that rock slide…”

 

Virgil looked between the three of them, shaking his head as he folded his arms again. Was it too much to just go and sit on a lounger by the pool? He wouldn’t even be able to go for a swim now that they were on red alert. 

 

“Yeah, and you struggled keeping hold of the cab when you jumped from the pod…”

 

Gordon’s grin was back again as he spoke, Virgil made a mental note to get him back next time he had an opportunity. 

 

As the middle of five, Virgil had long since learnt that he could take on any two of his brothers when it came to a challenge. However, he also knew the game was lost when he came up against three of them pitched against him. 

Right or wrong, he knew he’d have to give in. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t taking someone down with him. 

 

“Yeah,” He admitted, rubbing the back of his head, “I’d gotten a bit tired by then, I guess. It must have been when you sat on me in the middle of my exercises Gordo.”

 

The sickly smile turned to a face of horror as the younger realised what Virgil was saying. Perhaps it wasn’t the entire truth of what had happened, but it wasn’t really a lie either. 

As a bonus, it had worked nicely in drawing attention away from him, their two oldest brothers starting to lecture the younger as Virgil snuck off to the kitchen. 

 

He stretched as he sat back in a dining chair, wincing as the muscles in his shoulders pulled again. A quiet tut made him turn with a smile, 

 

“Hey Grandma,”

 

She shook her head at him, not saying anything as her hands rested on his shoulders, fingers digging in at just the right pressure.

 

“You know,” She started, “There’s nothing wrong admitting you’re feeling delicate after a hard day.”

 

He rested a hand over hers, looking up to her as he raised an eyebrow, 

 

“And have Scott ground me for a  _ week _ ?”

 

Both laughed quietly at the comment, Grandma nodding in agreement as she massaged the knots out of his shoulders, 

 

“As long as you admit it to me.” She told him sternly.

 

He nodded with a smile, 

 

“Of course Grandma.”

 

Because it was one thing to admit weakness to your brothers, but another to admit it to your Grandmother.


End file.
